Equity Alert
Dr Lal PathLabs up 20% at 5-mo high; Q4 consol sales up 17% YoY
This story was originally published at 13:46 IST on 4 May 2026
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Equity Alert: Dr Lal PathLabs up 20% at 5-mo high; Q4 consol sales up 17% YoY
MUMBAI--1300 IST--Shares of Dr Lal PathLabs rose 20% to an over five-month high of INR 1,640.60 after the company's consolidated sales for the March quarter rose 17% on year. However, its consolidated net profit declined 15% on a year-on-year basis. With the rise on Monday, the stock snapped a three-day losing streak.
The company reported a consolidated net profit of INR 1.31 billion on revenue of INR 7.03 billion for the March quarter. Analysts had estimated the company's consolidated net profit at INR 1.27 billion and revenue at INR 6.63 billion. Brokerage Morgan Stanley maintained its 'overweight' recommendation with a revised target price on the stock, ET Now posted on its X account, quoting the brokerage. The brokerage raised its target price by 3% to INR 1,819.
Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities retained its 'buy' recommendation on the stock with a revised target price of INR 1,860, against the earlier target price of INR 1,800. The brokerage expects improvement in revenue growth to drive valuations to higher levels. It expects the company's valuation multiple to be supported by strong volume growth and a strong balance sheet.
JM Financial maintained its 'buy' recommendation on the stock with a target price of INR 2,072. The brokerage expects the company to deliver compounded annual growth of 14% in its revenue, 16% growth in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation, and 20% compounded annual growth in net profit over the next two years. "We see a strong possibility of upgrades to these estimates," it said in a report.
At 1311 IST, shares of the company were over 16% higher at INR 1,591.60 on the NSE. So far in the day, almost 7 million shares of the company have changed hands on the exchange, higher than over 90,000 shares traded till the same time Thursday.
All nine brokerage recommendations available with Informist on the company have a 'buy' recommendation with an average target price of INR 1,769. (Arundathi A R)
Equity Alert: Aditya Birla Capital up 3% ahead of Q4 earnings
MUMBAI--1240 IST--Shares of Aditya Birla Capital Ltd. traded 3% higher ahead of the company's March quarter earnings Monday. The company's net profit for the quarter is expected to increase to INR 7.87 billion, according to JM Financial Institutional Securities Pvt. Ltd. Kotak Securities Ltd. expects the company to report a net profit of INR 8.22 billion mainly due to a growth in its assets under management. The company had reported a net profit of INR 6.54 billion in the year-ago period and INR 7.40 billion in the December quarter.
The company is likely to report a net interest income of INR 18.79 billion for the March quarter, according to JM Financial, and INR 19.84 billion as per the estimate from Kotak Securities. The assets under management are likely to see a growth of 6% on year, the Kotak Securities report said. The brokerage expects Aditya Birla Capital's cost-to-AUM ratio to likely increase by 5 basis points on quarter and 11 bps on year to 2%.
At 1234 IST, shares of the company traded 2% higher at INR 352.35 on the NSE. Five brokerages, whose reports on Aditya Birla Capital are available with Informist, have a "buy" recommendation on the stock with an average target price of INR 394 per share, nearly 12% higher than the current market price. (Diksha Tripathy)
Equity Alert: Indices come off highs; Nifty 50 slips below 24200 pts
MUMBAI--1230 IST--Benchmark indices pared some of their gains, with the Nifty 50 slipping below the 24200 mark. More than 10 constituents in the 50-stock index traded in the red, with shares of major information technology companies among the biggest laggards. Conversely, shares of fast-moving consumer goods, financial services, and select automobile companies continued to support the gains in the Nifty 50 index. Vote counting is underway for the Assembly elections in four states—Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadi and Kerala, and the union territory of Puducherry.
The Bharatiya Janata Party was leading in 178 seats in West Bengal, while Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress trailed, leading in 92 seats. In Tamil Nadu, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam led in 105 seats.
At 1221 IST, both the Nifty 50 and Sensex were up 0.6% at 24152.85 points and 77368.27 points, respectively. Shares of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone rose further, trading nearly 4% higher, and became the top-performing stock on the Nifty 50. Monday, the company said its total cargo volumes in April rose 15% on year to 43.1 million tonnes.
Shares of FMCG companies Hindustan Unilever and Tata Consumer Products were up 4% and 1.3%, respectively, and were also among the prominent gainers in the 50-stock index. Shares of financial services companies Bajaj Finserv, Jio Financial Services, Shriram Finance, and Bajaj Finance rose 1.5-2.0%, which supported the gains in the benchmark index. Shares of index heavyweights, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Reliance Industries were up 0.7-1.3%.
Kotak Mahindra Bank was down 2.7% and remained the worst-hit stock in the Nifty 50 index. Technology stocks Infosys, Tech Mahindra, and Tata Consultancy Services were down 0.5–1.6% and were among the major laggards.
Among the Nifty 200 gainers, shares of Bharat Heavy Electricals rose nearly 10?ter the company's bottom line and revenue for the March quarter beat the Street's estimates. The company's net profit more than doubled on year to INR 12.83 billion from INR 5.04 billion in the year-ago quarter. The company's revenue grew nearly 37% on year to INR 123.10 billion. Shares of Avenue Supermarts extended their losses, falling 4.5%, and became the worst-performer in the Nifty 200 index.
Dr. Lal PathLabs traded 14% higher and remained the top gainer in the Nifty 500 index. Shares of Zen Technologies traded 11% lower and stayed the worst-hit stock in the index. (Shruti Nair)
Equity Alert: HUL rises 5%; co's PAT up on year, beats Street view
MUMBAI--1215 IST--Shares of Hindustan Unilever rose 5% to the day's high of INR 2,365.80. The company posted a significant on-year growth in its net profit for the March quarter and beat the analysts' view for the same. Its revenue for the quarter also rose on year, but missed the Street's estimate.
Brokerage JM Financial expects the company's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation margins to be closer to lower-end of the guidance in 2026-27 (Apr-Mar). The brokerage retained its 'add' recommendation on the stock with a revised target price of INR 2,435. The target price was raised over 3% from the earlier target price. "For FY28E (2027-28(Apr-Mar), we raised our sales growth and bake in normalised margins," the brokerage said. This is expected to drive a 3% upmove to its earnings per share.
Systematix Institutional Equities also maintained its recommendation of 'hold' on the stock with a revised target price. It cut the target price on the stock by nearly 3% to INR 2,515. The brokerage rolled forward valuation to the earnings-per-share estimates for March 2028. Systematix largely unchanged its FY27 and FY28 estimates. The company's revenue and net profit are estimated at a compounded annual growth rate of 9% and 7%, respectively, over FY26 to FY28, to factor in some impact of cost inflation along with pricing lags on margins.
"Q4FY26 (Jan-Mar) operational numbers are good. However, surging crude prices and palm oil prices will put stress on the margins," ICICI Direct, retail wing of ICICI Research, said in its report. The brokerage expects the company's earnings growth to remain in singe digit in FY27. "We expect EBIDTA margins to remain at lower end of guided range in the near term and will gradually improve once geopolitical uncertainties recedes," it said in the report.
At 1226 IST, shares of the company traded almost 4% higher at INR 2,340 on the NSE. So far in the day, 1.5 million shares of the company changed hands on the exchange, lower than over 3 million shares traded till the same time Thursday.
Of the 16 brokerage recommendations available with Informist on the company, 13 have a 'buy' recommendation on the stock with an average target price of 2,754. The remaining three have a hold recommendation on the stock. (Arundathi A R)
Equity Alert: Indices remain higher, select auto cos lead gains, HUL up 4.5%
MUMBAI--1110 IST--Benchmark indices remained higher with most of the constituents in the Nifty 50 index in the green. Shares of select automobile and financial services companies led the gains in the 50-stock index, while technology stocks were the main laggards.
At 1104 IST, the Nifty 50 was at 24200.50, up 0.9%, while its peer BSE Sensex was at 77577.37, up nearly 0.9%. Shares of Hindustan Unilever extended their intraday gains and climbed nearly 4.5%. The stock was the top gainer in the Nifty 50 index. Shares of Bajaj Auto gained over 3% and were also among the top performing stocks in the index. The company reported a 40% on-year jump in its total sales in April to 513,792 units. Its commercial vehicle sales in April jumped 54% on year to 73,839 units, and its exports in the month jumped 83% to 265,582. Shares of peers, Maruti Suzuki India and Eicher Motors gained over 3% and 1%, respectively, supporting the 50-stock index.
On other hand, information technology stocks were the main laggards in the Nifty 50 index. Shares of Infosys, Tech Mahindra, and Tata Consultancy Services were down 0.5–1.2%. Shares of Kotak Mahindra Bank were over 2% lower and were the worst-hit stock in the Nifty 50 index.
The counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections was underway, which showed the Bharatiya Janata Party was leading on 109 seats, according to the data from the Election Commission of India's website. The vote counting is going on for three other states, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam, as well as one Union territory, Puducherry.
Broader market indices broadly mirrored the performance of their headline peers, with the Nifty small-cap and mid-cap indices gaining around 1?ch. Among sectoral indices, the Nifty Realty, Nifty Auto, and Nifty FMCG indices were among the highest gainers, rising 1.5-2.0%. The Nifty IT and Nifty Media indices were the only sectoral indices in the negative territory, down 0.5% and 7.0%, respectively.
In the Nifty 200 index, shares of metal major Vedanta climbed over 6.4% and were the top gainer, and those of Jindal Steel were also among the top gainers, climbing 4%. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders shed over 4% and was the worst-hit stock in the Nifty 200, while its peer Cochin Shipyard also nearly 1%. Shares of their small-cap peer, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers shed nearly 5% and were among the worst performers in the Nifty 500 index, while Zen Technologies was the worst-hit stock in the index. The stock was down over 11%.
Shares of Dr Lal PathLabs were the top gainers in the Nifty 550 index. The stock rose over 14?ter the company's consolidated revenues for the quarter rose 16.6% to INR 7.03 billion driven by volume growth. However, the company reported a 15?cline in its consolidated net profit for the March quarter to INR 1.31 billion. (Shruti Nair)
Equity Alert: Mkts open higher as crude oil prices ease on Trump's comment
MUMBAI--0944 IST--Benchmark indices opened higher as crude oil prices eased to $108 per barrel after US President Donald Trump's comment that Washington will "help free up" ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. The Brent crude oil prices eased after remaining above $110 per barrel for three consecutive sessions. The assembly elections results for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Keralam, Assam, and Puducherry will be declared today and the vote counting has begun. Automobile stocks were the major gainers in the indices.
At 0941 IST, the Nifty 50 was at 24283.95 points, up 286.40 points or 1.2% and the BSE Sensex was at 77899.76 points, up 986.26 points or 1.3%.
Bajaj Auto and Maruti Suzuki India were the top gainers among the Nifty 50 constituents, up over 4?ch. Maruti Suzuki's vehicle dispatches for April rose to a record high of 239,646 units, up 33% on year. Bajaj Auto's April sales rose 40% on year to 513,792 units. Eicher Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra rose around 2?ch.
Hindustan Unilever gained nearly 4%. Shriram Finance, Larsen & Toubro, Asian Paints, Tata Consumer Products, and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone rose around 2?ch. Kotak Mahindra Bank fell more than 4% to become the major laggard in the Nifty 50. The bank said that its net interest margin is likely to fall in 2026-27 (Apr-Mar), but the fall is expected to be lower than in FY26. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Tata Consultancy Services fell by over 2% and 1%, respectively.
Vodafone Idea was the top-gainer in the Nifty 200, up over 5%. The telecom operator's stock gained momentum after the government finalised the adjusted gross revenue dues at INR 640.46 billion as of Dec. 31. This is lower than the earlier amount of INR 876.95 billion finalised by the Telecom department, which was later frozen as per the directions of the Supreme Court. Shares of Vedanta rose over 6%.
Kotak Mahindra Bank was the worst-hit stock in the Nifty 200 index. Avenue Supermarts fell nearly 3%. In the Nifty 500, Aster DM Healthcare rose nearly 9%. The company's consolidated net profit for the March quarter rose over 77% on year to INR 1.4 billion. Zen Technologies was the top underperforming stock in the index, declining over 11%. The company's consolidated net profit fell 69% on year to INR 315.3 million in Jan-Mar.
The vote counting in four states – West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Keralam, and Assam and one Union territory –Puducherry is progressing. In West Bengal, Bharatiya Janata Party is ahead of the ruling Trinamool Congress, according to the data from the Election Commission of India's website. (Adhithya Aji)
Equity Alert: Indices seen up; Trump's comments, fall in crude oil to support
MUMBAI--0845 IST--The headline equity indices may open higher Monday after US President Donald Trump said the country will "help free up" ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz from Monday. The indices may track the early gains in Asian indices. The fall in crude oil prices to around $108 per barrel also added to the positive market sentiment. Market will track the Assembly election results for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry and the March quarter earnings will also be in focus.
On Sunday, Trump said he was launching a campaign 'Project Freedom', at the request of countries whose vessels are stranded in the strait, whom he referred to as neutral and innocent bystanders. "Many of these Ships are running low on food, and everything else necessary for largescale crews to stay on board in a healthy and sanitary manner," Trump said in his Truth Social post, adding that any interference in the operation would "unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully."
Brokerage Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd. expects significant short-term risks for Indian equities, it said in a strategy report. It also sees a potential retail fuel price hike in coming days. However, it remains constructive on a long-term basis, as the brokerage sees a US-Iran negotiation ahead, which could normalise energy prices. The possibility of price hikes in petrol and diesel cannot be ruled out, even though they were not currently increased in the wake of surge in oil prices, a senior government official said Friday.
At 0823 IST, the July futures contract of Brent crude was marginally higher at $108.28 a barrel. At 0822 IST, the May futures contract of Gift Nifty was marginally higher at 24254.50, up over 250 points from the Nifty 50's previous close of 23997.55.
"Technically, the Nifty (50) index is hovering in a congestion range, with immediate support around the 23550-23800 spot levels and resistance placed around the 24350–24550 spot zones," Vipin Kumaar, assistant vice president of equity research at Globe Capital Market, said. "A breakout in either direction from this range will dictate the next short-term move." Barring the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the other two indices in the US ended higher Friday. (Arundathi A R)
Equity Alert: Most indices in Asia gain, KOSPI touches fresh high
MUMBAI--0815 IST--Most indices in Asia gained Monday as market participants appeared to cheer US President Donald Trump's 'Project Freedom' to free stranded ships in the Strait of Hormuz, even as details of the plan are awaited. Brent Crude oil futures also fell around 4% from Friday's high to under $110 per barrel. South Korea's benchmark KOSPI hit a fresh record high, with the index up almost 4% in early trade. Markets in Japan and China were closed for a public holiday.
"I have told my Representatives to inform them that we will use best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait. In all cases, they said they will not be returning until the area becomes safe for navigation and everything else. This process, Project Freedom, will begin Monday morning, Middle East time," Trump said in a post on social media platform Truth Social.
However, concerns about the adverse impact of high energy prices and global supply chain disruptions on economic health persist for central banks. A senior deputy governor at the Bank of Korea said that a hawkish view is likely at the upcoming monetary policy meeting this month, Reuters reported. Deputy Governor Ryoo Sang-dai said it was time to consider interest rate hikes.
On Friday, the Japanese yen strengthened by over 3% against the dollar. The move came after the government took measures to prop up the currency, media reports suggested. Earlier in the previous week, Japan's finance minister had flagged concerns about the yen's depreciation and hinted at taking action to curb its weakness.
The following were the levels of major Asian indices at 0803 IST:
|
Index |
Level |
Change in % |
| Hang Seng Index | 26256.50 | 1.86 |
| KOSPI | 6854.35 | 3.87 |
| FTSE Singapore Strait Times | 4946.75 | 0.69 |
| S&P/ASX 200 INDEX | 8708.00 | (-)0.25 |
(Ruchira Kagita)
Equity Alert: Tech earnings drive rally; NASDAQ, S&P 500 hit new highs Fri
MUMBAI--0735 IST--Concerns around the fragile truce between the US and Iran took a backseat as robust earnings of technology majors drove upward momentum on the Wall Street Friday. The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ Composite surged to new all-time-high levels, and closed higher for the fifth consecutive week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average bucked the trend to close in the red Friday, but the index ended the week with gains.
Shares of Apple rose after the company's sales in the quarter ended March came in around $57 billion, and its gross profit margin was 49.3%. The results were better than what analysts had expected, boosted primarily by higher demand for the iPhone 17. Shares of the iPhone maker had closed over 3% higher.
"We have these fast-rising profits on one side, and then on the other, we have upward pressures on oil prices and bond yields," Angelo Kourkafas, a senior global investment strategist at Edward Jones, told Reuters. "We've rallied a lot in April, so potentially we may enter some period of consolidation as this pull and push is playing out," he added.
Over this week, Palantir Technologies, Walt Disney Co., and McDonald's Corp are among the key companies which will report their earnings for the March quarter. Shares of chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices will also be in focus ahead of the company's earnings. S&P 500 earnings as of Friday were on track to have climbed 27.8% on year in the March quarter, Reuters reported, citing data from LSEG Data & Analytics.
Following were the closing levels of major US indices on Friday:
|
US Indices |
Levels |
Change in % |
|
Dow Jones Industrial Average |
49499.27 | (-)0.31 |
|
NASDAQ Composite |
25114.443 | 0.89 |
|
S&P 500 |
7230.12 | 0.29 |
(Ruchira Kagita)
US$1 = INR 95.05
IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT
Edited by Avishek Dutta
All prices from National Stock Exchange, unless otherwise specified.
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